Tuesday, 1 June 2010

Kolhapuri Chicken

( Vegetarians & vegans can try this masala with any vegetable of their choice. )

The last couple of months I had been on an almost no cooking mode ... read plain cooking, eating and resting. Rested I a lot.I also caught up with my reading and a whole lot of music that had taken a backseat in the rush.I embroidered a lot. Cut up a lot of kurtis to make cushion covers. :pAnd I also drank a lot of water ... well ... does not make sense putting that in the list ... but that was one thing I did really well. My life depended on it ... ok ... I may be exaggerating .. but I wanted to live pain free ... so the only option I had was to drink ... H2O.

I also forgot that my blog turned two ... and poor Kichu Khon went without a party and a cake.

I also went through a lot of my old mails ... and hung my head in shame. There have been so many requests I cannot even start to list them. Advice and discussions on a particular recipe I get back to promptly ... but for requests, I need to cook the food first, sample it and then post it. Which was not at all possible on my part for the past few months.

Dear readers and followers, please forgive me my illness. I am getting back to my normal diet and will soon start to post all ... I promise ... all your requests. And if you have not left comments here I understand perfectly well.

I also have had non bloggers who have sent in their recipes for me to try out. No, none of them have asked me to post them ... they just wanted to share their food with me virtually. But I promise them too ... not only will I try them out, I'll post them too.

So friends ... peace. :-)

God knows I value your comments ... any blogger will know what comments mean to us ... and have no grudge against anybody who hasn't left a line here.

But since I know you were here ... and for how long ... looking for what ... what you read ... what you liked ... and what you have disliked ... I thank you.Just for being here.Kichu Khon owes you loads of great recipes. :-)

As mentioned earlier, am slowly getting back to normal diet. Fish and eggs are still off limits, but am allowed a little chicken now.The first two times I stuck to my stews and soups. And then promptly went back to my favourite recipe ... that is spicy and ... well ... spicy.

I do not make the Kolhapuri masala at home, thanks to N Bhabi who is originally from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. But if I ever run out of it, I just buy a packet of Katdere Kanda Lahsoon masala ... easily available off the shelves. It is almost the same ... but remember .. it is different from Goda masala ... which has a completely different look, taste and flavour.

The fun of using this Kolhapuri masala is you do not have to use almost anything else. Just throw in a few chopped onions ... that too if you want your gravy to have some body ... and this masala. Most Maharashtrian dishes have a slightly watery yet a very flavourful gravy.

I did not use any extra garam masala or tomatoes or anything else. And if you want your chicken tender, add it only after adding water.Too much of frying / bhuno ing results in touch chicken pieces.

Heat a little cooking oil in a kadahi or deep pan. ( Remember the Kolhapuri masala has enough oil in it ).

Add the sliced onions and fry for a while.

Now add the Kolhapuri masala and stir well. If you like your food spicy, the be generous with the spoonfuls ... else add only a couple of teaspoonfuls.

Add enough water.

Add the chicken pieces.

Add sugar and salt ( remember the masala will have salt in it ).

Cover and cook till chicken is tender.

Remove cover and serve hot.

Goes great with plain rice, rotis or parathas.

The next couple of weeks will be rush rush for me as one part of the family is visiting.Then the monsoons start.Even if it is already wonderfully cool here ... and the nights definitely cold ... can't wait for the monsoons.Then the other part of the family will visit.

But I will be around folks. With my ridiculously simple recipes.And all your requests. :-)

Sharmila,bhalo laglo porey je you have recovered and ready to cook all the delicious things.I am glad you utilized the time with music,sewing and books.Chicken ami khokhono na korte pari na,this looks delicious :-).hugs and smiles

Right, the all important H2O...we can't do without it. Great to know you are getting better.The chicken looks delicious, will try one day. But my all time favourite of yours remain the stir fried chicken with vegetables which I now make very often.

Sharmila oned din aste parini.. for the past 15 days went thru a mini tornado.. guests ;-).. + many other things going on.

Shune bhalo laglo that you are slowly getting back to normal diet. keep drinking water!!

I did read that story and the beautiful imagery that u created. could visualize everything in front of me. aam poRar shorbot koto bochor khayini. barite aam porao hoto, but ekhane boil kori and it just does not have the same flavor.

We love kolhapuri chicken & usually use the parampara paste when I am not making the masala at home. besh gorom gorom bhat diye khete ichey korchay.

Dear SharmilaI feel good that you are feeling good..and starting with a bang..recipe looks nice. Will try soon as soon as my younger daughter is back. I am yet to develop a taste for chicken dishes which I am trying for ages.bhalo theko